Identification switch

ABSTRACT

An identificant is insertable into an identificator, and carries a number of input points and a number of output points, certain of the input points being connected with certain of the output points in accordance with a predetermined code. The code does not use binary logic but rather a translation logic. The identificator comprises a number of input pins and a number of output pins, the input pins being engageable with the input points of the identificant, and the output pins being engageable with the output points of the identificant, more specifically with strip conductors connecting respective input points to respective output points. The input pins are connected to respective pulse generators, and the output pins are connected to respective counters. The pulse generators supply a pulse sequence in which the number of pulses in a group increases by one during the sequence of checking the input points and the output points, whereby each of the counters will contain only one respective number. The identificant may be provided with a monolithic semiconductor circuit, preferably on a head at its inner end, and capable of checking with respect to counterfeiting of the identificant.

United States Patent Dethloff et al.

54'] IDENTIFICATION SWITCH [72] Inventors:

[73] Assignee:

Jurgen Dethloff, Hamburg; Helmut Grottrup, Munich, both of Germany Interlectron Patentverwaltung GmbH, Mu-

nich, Germany PULSE GENERATORS 70 6O 3,573,435 4/1971 Heinz ..235/61.l1 C

Primary Examir e rDaryl W. Cook flsiistaiir EidniineF-Thomas J. Sloman AttorneyJohn J. McGlew and Alfred E. Page [57] ABSTRACT An identificant is insertable into an identificator, and carries a number of input points and a number of output points, certain of the input points being connected with certain of the output points in accordance with a predetermined code. The code does not use binary logic but rather a translation logic. The identificator comprises a number of input pins and a number of output pins, the input pins being engageable with the input points of the identificant, and the output pins being engagew ble with the output points of the identificant, more specifically with strip conductors connecting respective input points to respective output points. The input pins are connected to respective pulse generators, and the output pins are connected to respective counters. The pulse generators supply a pulse sequence in which the number of pulses in a group increases by one during the sequence of checking the input points and the output points, whereby each of the counters will contain only one respective number. The identificant may be provided with a monolithic semiconductor circuit, preferably on a head at its inner end, and capable of checking with respect to counterfeiting of the identificant.

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INVENTOR HELHUT G'RBTYWT JORGE: sETuLoFT- W 7 w ATTORNEY IDENTIFICATION SWITCH This invention relates to an identification system adapted to receive a certain offered information and to assign, to this information, a certain importance.

Such a function is performed, for example, in the case of identifying persons, in order that certain operations are started automatically on the basis of the identification. This can range from factory entry identity checks to purchases from automatic vending machines without cash. Identification of articles, for example, is desirable or necessary when production tickets proceed through workshops or when vehicles are located.

Thus, in principle, the identification consists of two parts, namely the information carrier, which is generally mobile, and the evaluation circuit, which is generally fixed. For ready reference hereinafter, the information carrier will be termed identificantand the evaluation circuit will be termed identificator. As identificants or information carriers, there are used punched cards, cards with conductive coatings, or keys.

By way of example, a known identification circuit employs a key as the identificant, and a lock with a cylindrical core as the identificator. The information is carried on the key in the form of notches, similar to the notches on keys used with cylindrical locks. Some of these notches react in conjunction with blocking elements in the same way as in the case of normal cylindrical locks, that is, the lock cannot be operated with the wrong key. The other notches effect electrical contacts within the lock thus serving to effect the identification.

There are other prior art arrangements which use cards on which the information is recorded in the form of cams or perforations by means of mechanical probing levers which, in turn, are operable with respect to electrical contacts.

A further known system, also uses cards as identificants and the information is recorded on the identificants in the form of areas of respective different transparency or difierent light reflectance. The identificators scan these identificants through the medium of photo cells which make the information available in the form of electrical currents.

In still another well-known system, the information is recorded on cards in the form of conductive electroplated areas. In this case, the identificator scans the identificants with appropriate scanning pins or brushes, thus obtaining the recorded information in a form which lends itself to further electrical processing.

Irrespective of the different technical designs of these known arrangements, all known identificants are binary, that is, each position of the identificant is furnished with a go/nogo indication which can be read mechanically and which is evaluated with a binary mathematical logic. The result of the identification is thus obtained, in the identificator, in the form of a binary number which has as many digits as the identificant has binary positions.

The disadvantages of these prior art devices are attributable primarily to this binary notation. Thus, in many cases it is necessary to use the information, obtained from the identificator, for the control of decimal devices, for example, for the selection of a counter in a decadic matrix or for the control of a decadic printer. Consequently, a code converter is necessary in order to convert the binary code into a decimal code, and this is uneconomical from the cost standpoint.

Still another known system has the same disadvantage, eventhough it employs the more advanced method of coordination in which the input and output contacts of the identificants are connected with each other in accordance with a certain code.

All known identification systems, however, have one disadvantage in common, namely that they are not safe from adulteration or counterfeiting because either the identificants themselves or the connections between the contacts can be imitated.

The objective of the invention is therefore to provide an identification system which permits the coordination of identificants to be unambiguous, and which is absolutely safe with respect to adulteration or counterfeiting of identificants.

Accordingly, the objective of the invention is to provide an identification system designed to produce control signals with the help of identificants which contain a number of input elements and a number of output elements, with each input element being connected with one respective output element for the characterization of the respective identificant, and with the help of an identificator which is presented with the identificants and which is provided with a number of transmitters corresponding to the number of identificant input elements, and with a number of receivers corresponding to the number of identificant output elements. The connections between the input and output elements of the presented identificant is tested by these transmitters and receivers, while the information resulting from these connections is stored in the identificator in order to determine which identificant was offered or presented. The identificants further contain additional devices which are scanned and evaluated by an appropriate testing unit of the identificator, and which protect the identificants from adulteration or counterfeiting independently of the information characterized by the connections between the input elements and the output elements.

The present invention thus distinguishes from the known arrangements in using a translation logic instead of binary logic. This makes it possible to use the recorded information, resulting from testing of an identificant, in the decimal form and without the necessity of converting binary code information into decimal code information.

The connections between the identificant input elements and the identificant output elements, and with the appropriate identificator elements, as well as with each other, can be effected by known means, for example, by electroplating, capacitors, transformers, electromagnetic, or optical arrangements.

The additional device for the protection against adulteration or counterfeiting comprises a special integrated circuit which is accommodated in the form of a monolithic semiconductor block, inside a narrow section of the identificant, and whose existence is checked automatically in the course of the identification of the identificant by the identificator. The special design of the identificant assures that this section of the identificant cannot be imitated by distinct structural components. It is well known that the provision of such special integrated circuits involves expenses which exceed, by far, the usefulness of adulteration or counterfeiting.

The integrated circuit, serving as safely device against adulteration or counterfeiting, generally is independent of the circuits provided for the identification of the identificants. However, the integrated circuit may be included in the identification by designing certain parts of the connections between the input and output elements as integrated circuits, or by making the integrated circuits part of the identification circuits. Instead of an integrated circuit, the safety device can be an electro-optical device, as described hereinafter.

The structure of the identificator depends primarily on the physical nature of the connections between the input and output elements of the identificant. The underlying principle of the new identification system consists in that defined pulse currents are transmitted from the identificator, through itstransmission points, to the input elements of the identificant, and that these pulses appear, subject to the connections, at the output elements where they are received by the receiving points of the identificator and stored in the latter.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows the basic design of a non-wired identificant;

FIG. 2 shows the circuit diagram diagram of an identificant with a multi-valued translation;

FIG. 3 shows the circuit diagram of an identificant with a two-valued translation;

FIG. 4 shows an identificant with a galvanic translation;

FIG. 5 shows a connecting element of the identificant;

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of an identificant with a galvanic translation;

FIG. 7 shows the scanner of the identificator for galvanic translation;

FIG. 8 shows the circuit diagram of the identificator;

FIG. 9 shows the shape of the pulse currents in the identificator as a function of time;

FIG. 10 shows an identificator with continuity checking;

FIG. 11 shows an identificator with transmission checking;

FIG. 12 shows an identificator with summation;

FIG. I3 shows an identificant with protection against imitation;

FIG. 14 shows devices in the identificator;

FIG. 15 shows an inductive scanning system;

FIG. 16 shows a control circuit with Zener Diodes;

FIG. 17 shows a test circuit of the identificator for a control circuit with Zener Diodes;

FIG. 18 shows a control circuit and a corresponding test circuit with counter;

FIG. 19 shows a control circuit and the corresponding test circuits with a decoding circuit;

FIG. 20 shows a control circuit and a corresponding test circuit with transistor amplifiers;

FIG. 21 shows a control circuit and the corresponding test circuit with diode gates;

FIG. 22 shows a top view and partial sectional view of the nose of the identificant;

FIG. 23 shows a side view of the nose of the identificant;

FIG. 24 shows a top view of the protective element;

FIG. 25 shows the protective element seen from below;

FIG. 26 shows the evaluating circuit in the identificant;

FIG. 27 shows the identificant with scanning points;

FIG. 28 shows a sectional view of the identificant;

FIG. 29 shows a pair of coils with the connecting leads;

FIG. 30 shows the scanning device of the identificant;

FIG. 31 shows the circuit of the scanning device of the identificator;

FIG. 32 shows the identificant with magnet points;

FIG. 33 shows a sectional view of the identificant;

FIG. 34 shows a pair of magnet cores with connecting leads;

FIG. 35 shows a pair of magnet cores with a common connection;

FIG. 36 shows an element of the scanning device of the identificator;

FIG. 37 shows the circuit of the scanning device of the identificator;

FIG. 38 shows the view of the identificant with capacitive translation;

FIG. 39 shows the same identificant in a longitudinal section;

FIG. 40 shows a sectional view of the identificant with the scanning electrodes;

FIG. 41 shows a capacitive scanning device;

FIG. 42 show an identificant with optical translation and evaluating parts;

FIG. 43 shows a slotted disk and the identificant;

FIG. 44 shows the evaluating circuit;

FIG. 45 shows a top view of the identificant with setting rollers for the setting of the index number;

FIG. 46 shows a sectional view of a setting roller with detent;

FIG. 47 shows a sectional view of the identificator;

FIG. 48 shows a hole of insertion of the identificator and FIG. 49 shows the block diagram of the identificator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the general schematic of an identificant. The identificant contains in a mechanical structure I a number of input elements 20 to 29 as well as a number of output elements 30 to 37, the number of the input elements not necessarily being equivalent to the number of the output elements. In the condition shown in FIG. 1, the connecting elements and, consequently, the information required for the identification are not present in the identificant. However, the arrangement of the input elements and the output elements has already been disposed of, i.e., the places in the mechanical structure I at which input elements 20 to 29 are located are already distinguished by an arbitrary fixing from the places at which output elements 30 to 37 are located. Such a fixing is important in so far as identifying circuits may thus be delimitated against each other. As, for example, can be seen from FIG. 4, the input elements 20 to 29 and the output elements 30 to 37 are mechanically identical. The same applies to the scanning devices necessary for scanning the input elements and the output elements, as will be apparent from FIG. 7. Consequently, the mechanical design does not prevent identificants with a certain allotment of places for input elements and output elements are scanned by identificators which being set to a different allotment of places. On the other hand, as will be shown lateron, the identificator is in a position to determine identificants with a false" allotment of places and thereby exclude them from further identification.

Thus it is possible to build up circuits out of a number of identificators and a number of identificants which among themselves all have the same allotment of places for input elements and output elements so that identificants of one identification circuit are not identified by the identificators of another identification circuit. Such a division into identification circuits is necessary, for example, if here is a greater number of persons using such identification systems and these persons want to protect themselves from unauthorized use of identificants of external identification circuits.

For example if the identificant contains 10 input elements and I0 output elements, the number of the possible allotment of places and, consequently, the number of the possible identification circuits will be according to known formulas:

This great number of identification circuits constitutes an essential advantage of the device according to the invention over the known devices.

FIG. 2 shows the same identificant as FIG. 1 but now with the connections established by the connecting elements between the input elements and the output elements. Provided that each input element can be connected with each output element, a number of different groupings is obtained. For example, in FIG. 2, the input elements 2.0, 21 and 22 are all connected with the output element 30. The input elements 23, 27, 28 and 29 as well as the output elements 35 and 36 are used for no connection whatever. The input element 24 is only connected with the output element 31, and the input element 25 is connected only with the output element 37. The input element 26 is connected with the three output elements 32, 33 and 34. The number of identificants that can be set up in this manner may also be easily calculated according to known relations, proceeding from the fact that each output element may be connected with any input element or none at all. For example, a number for an identificant having ten input elements and I0 output elements will be:

l0 000 000 000 This great number of possible and distinguishable identificants is obtained in each of the above given different identification circuits.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an identificant, in accordance with the invention, which has input elements 40-49 and output elements 50-59 which are connected in a certain pattern with each other by means of electrical connections, so as to characterize this identificant by the nature of the connections. The devices for the protection against adulteration or counterfeiting are omitted in FIG. 3 for the sake of clarity, and because of the desirability of first explaining the identification system per se. 

1. An identifying system, operating upon a translation logic, comprising, in combination, a plurality of identificants serving as the information-bearing recording media, and each including input elements and output elements; and an identificator cooperable with said identificants to evaluate the respective information thereon; said identificants being substantially identical in appearance, construction and form; the input elements being positioned at the same respective locations on each identificant, and the output elements being positioned at the same respective locations on each identificant, and which differ from the input element locations; connecting elements on at least certain of said identificants each connecting at least one input element to at least one output element in accordance with the respective information to be translated by each identificant; said identificator including a number of transmitters equal to the number of input elements on each identificant and connected to the respective input elements responsive to connection of an identificant to said identificator; said identificator further including a number of receivers equal to the number of output elements on each identificant and connected to the respective output elements responsive to connection of an identificant to said identificator; whereby, upon connection of an identificant to said identificator, signals are transmitted from said transmitters to said receivers in accordance with the connections between input and output elements of the connected identificant; and control circuit means included in said identificator and connected to said receivers, said control circuit means, responsive to said signals, detecting the authorized use of a connected identificant; said transmitters being pulse generators operable, in a predetermined sequence, to transmit pulse currents; each pulse generator transmitting a respective fixed number of pulses differing from the respective fixed number of pulses of each other pulse generator; said receivers being counters providing a counting result.
 2. An identifying system, as claimed in claim 1, in which said transmitters are pulse generators operable, in a predetermined sequence, to transmit pulse cuRrents; each pulse generator transmitting a respective fixed number of pulses differing from the respective fixed number of pulses of each other pulse generator.
 3. An identifying system, as claimed in claim 1, in which said input elements and said output elements are identical in construction and design so that said elements are capable of interchangeable use as input elements and output elements.
 4. An identifying system, as claimed in claim 1, in which said identificants are flat envelopes of plastic composition material formed with openings constituting said input elements and said output elements; said connecting elements comprising electrically isolated electrically conductive plates sandwiched in said envelopes; each connecting element having a planar contour such as to connect only one respective input element to one respective output element; said identificator including a plurality of electrically conductive scanning pins corresponding to the number of input and output elements of each identificant. 